The South Tyrol Alpine Club (german: Alpenverein Südtirol), abbreviated AVS, is an association of German and Ladin-speaking mountain climbers in South Tyrol, northern Italy. Founded in 1946, it is sub-divided into 32 sections and 58 local divisions. The AVS is based in Bolzano and has more than 60,000 members.

History

Originally, the South Tyrolean alpine club sections were members of the

German and Austrian Alpine Club The German and Austrian Alpine Club (german: Deutscher und Österreichischer Alpenverein, DuÖAV) was a merger of the German, Austrian and German Bohemian Alpine Club that existed from 1873 to 1938. History In 1862 the ''Sektion Austria'' was fou ...

(''Deutscher und Österreichischer Alpenverein''). In 1869 the first sections were founded in Bozen and Niederdorf, Puster Valley. By 1910, 15 more sections had been established in South Tyrol. They initiated the construction of 19 mountain huts, an extensive network of paths through the mountains and training for mountain guides. After the end of the First World War, the annexation of South Tyrol by Italy and the coming into power of the

fascists Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and th ...

, the South Tyrolean sections were disappropriated and banned in 1923 (see Italianization of South Tyrol). After the end of the Second World War, on December 31, 1945, the military administration of the

Allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

permitted the foundation of the South Tyrol Alpine Club. Its inaugural meeting took place in Bolzano on 14 June 1946. Nowadays, the AVS takes care of more than 9,500 km of hiking trails and is involved in nature conservancy and South Tyrolean cultural issues as well. The club is a member of the Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme and the Club Arc Alpin. In 2007, the AVS finished its project to digitalise all hiking trails in South Tyrol.Website with the digitalised data

Notes

External links

Homepage of the Alpenverein Südtirol
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alpenverein Sudtirol Clubs and societies in Italy Climbing organizations Sport in South Tyrol Alpine clubs

History

Notes

See also

External links